The invention relates to a device for mounting a switch or the like on a mounting plate having a front side, a back side as well as a mounting hole. The switch comprises a housing with a housing upper side and at least one fixing projection insertable into the mounting hole from the back side of the mounting plate. In order to lock the switch in place, both means to support the fixing projection against the front side of the mounting plate and counter-supporting elements to support the housing upper side against the back side of the mounting plate are provided.
It is known from the prior art to fix a switch to a mounting plate, for example, by inserting a fixing projection of the switch housing, which is provided with an outer thread, into the mounting hole from the back side of the mounting plate, and by screwing a nut onto the outer thread of the fixing projection which projects over the front side of the mounting plate. Typically, the housing upper side of the switch is directly adjacent to the back side of the mounting plate. Depending on the thickness of the mounting plate the fixing projection of the switch therefore projects over the front side of the mounting plate differently far. Thus, the operating members, which are usually arranged inside the fixing projection, e.g. a switch lever, are raised from the front side of the mounting plate differently far, depending on the thickness of the mounting plate.
To compensate for different thicknesses of the mounting plate adjustable counter-supporting elements are known from the prior art, by means of which the housing upper side can be supported against the back side of the mounting plate, with the gap between the housing upper side and the back side of the mounting plate being adjustable. Such a device of the aforementioned type is known, for example, from DE 10 2008 057 147 B3. For the purpose of supporting the housing upper side against the back side of the mounting plate this device comprises multiple setscrews fitted into the housing, which can be moved out of the housing upper side by rotating them, so that the distance desired between the housing upper side and the back side of the mounting plate is adjustable. The adjustment of the setscrews is relatively complicated, however, and has to be carried out with a tool. Also, the mounting of the switch is difficult, because the housing upper side is not supported against the back side of the mounting plate before the setscrews are moved out. If the fixing projection has already been inserted into the mounting hole of the mounting plate, the switch can easily slip out of position or turn slightly and, therefore, has to be held in position while the setscrews are moved out of the housing upper side. In order to bring the switch back into position after it has turned to an undesired small extent, it is necessary to move the setscrews back in again to some extent after the full assembly, which likewise is a time-consuming procedure which can only be carried with a special tool.